Golden Bay initiative helps Tākaka pensioners into affordable housing

 

The opening of two pensioner flats in Tākaka this week has provided warm secure accommodation for two tenants, and shows the potential of partnerships between Council and private groups for addressing the housing crisis.

The newly-built cottages on Commercial Street are the result of a partnership between Tasman District Council and the Mohua Affordable Housing Trust and were officially opened on Friday April 22.

The houses are situated on previously unused Council-owned land behind the existing Galley Court flats. They were financed by the Trust who will own and maintain them for 35 years, after which ownership will be transferred to the Council to be added to the Council’s housing stock, which currently includes 101 pensioner cottages. The Council will select and manage the tenants.

The two bedroom 60-square metre houses were constructed by local Golden Bay builders, using local suppliers.

The homes meet the current building code and Healthy Homes standard, with external ramps for access, doors wide enough for wheelchairs and bathrooms especially designed for accessibility. They are equipped with brand new appliances and heat pumps.

Given the growing demand for accommodation in Golden Bay, the partnership between the Council and the Trust provided “a win-win situation for everyone” noted Trust Chair Dr. Christopher Bennett.

“Tasman District Council now has two high quality houses which has cost their ratepayers nothing to build and we get to 

help reduce the need for pensioner housing in Golden Bay.”

“Everyone in our team is grateful to help the people in our local community. There is a huge unmet need for affordable housing, and we have managed to help four families since starting our construction program ten months ago”.

Tasman Mayor Tim King said the opening of the new cottages was testament to a great initiative to support affordable accommodation in the district.

“We recognise that meeting housing demand throughout the country is no small undertaking and is something that will require a concerted effort from a number of organisations, including council – the work that the Trust and their financial backers are doing here in Golden Bay highlights what can be done with the opportunities available under current rules/legislation and they should be applauded.”

Golden Bay ward councillors Chris Hill and Celia Butler also acknowledged the “truly significant contribution” that the Trust was making to the Mohua/Golden Bay community in providing housing where it is needed.

“The vision to come up with a solution to the housing issues here has been inspiring, as has the ability to bring it to fruition effectively. Chris’s ability to work collaboratively with a range of other organisations has been impressive,” Chris said.

“I note that people from other areas have an eye on what’s happening here with a view to rolling out something similar for those that are struggling to find homes.”

Celia said it had been the case for some time that there has been a shortage of housing for older people in Golden Bay.

“Being so close to the town centre will provide many benefits. It is great to see the Golden Bay/Mohua Affordable Housing Project and Tasman District Council working in partnership to provide these two new dwellings on Council-owned land.”

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Nelson Pride Inc Announces Its 2022 Pride Week Program

 

NELSON PRIDE INC., ANNOUNCE.

Aimée Borlase, Chair of Nelson Pride Inc., has announced the program for Nelson Pride Week 2022. Pride Week is from the 23 April to the 2 May. 

Nelson Pride are providing a range of low or no cost Covid-friendly events that will celebrate and uplift the LGBTQIA+ community of Nelson-Tasman and beyond. 

The goal of Pride Week 2022 is to celebrate diversity, Queer history, local LGBTQI+ groups and promote opportunities for creating a safe, strong, and connected community.

The Pride Week 2022 program includes a rangatahi-centred Rainbow market, a potluck Brunch, two heritage talks, two beach outings and is closed out with a screening of the documentary Through Rainbow Coloured Glasses. 

Events are set to take place throughout the Nelson and Tasman regions, from Atawhai to Stoke to Rabbit Island, and the line-up has been designed to go ahead under all Covid Traffic Light settings.

Two highlights of Pride Week are the educational heritage talks. 

RED DOOR THEATRE. "Crossing The Lines"

On ANZAC day on 25 April, Nelson Pride warmly welcome Brent Coutts, to the Red Door Theatre, to talk about his book Crossing the Lines, the story of three homosexual soldiers in WWII and to speak about his experience as a researcher of queer history. This event is also part of Tuku22, Nelson’s Heritage Festival. 

THE RED DOOR THEATRE "Top Story"

On 27 April, Nelson Pride committee member Ari Edgecombe presents also at the Red Door Theatre Top Story, a pictorial story-telling event on his journey from 10-day-old baby girl to the Southern fella he is today, with a strong focus on top-surgery medical adventures.

 

Pride Week will close out on the 2 May with a screening of the documentary Through Rainbow Coloured Glasses at the Pastorius Waller Auditorium at the Suter Art Gallery. This feature-length documentary, co-produced by Big Girls Blouse Productions and Pink Health Otautahi over 2006-2008, chronicles six decades of LGBTQ+ history in Christchurch.

SUTER ART GALLERY "Through Rainbow Coloured Glasses" 6.30PM 2 MAY PASTORIUS-WALLER THEATRE, SUTER GALLERY, 208 BRIDGE ST.

In a show of visual support for the LGBTQ+ Community, both the NCMA (Nelson Centre of Musical Arts) and Theatre Royal buildings will be lit up in rainbow colours throughout Pride Week.

Nelson Pride are also thankful for and acknowledge the funding they have received from the Nelson City Council Tuku22 Event Host Grant and the Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust, for making Pride Week possible.

Nelson Pride chair Aimée Borlase said, “After the success of last year's inaugural Pride Week, and then with the disappointing cancellation of the Pride Ball, we’re just really excited to be able to finally put something on that we know is going to be able to go ahead at any alert level and that still provides a range of events and activities. Like 2021, this year will have a lot of family-oriented and educational events, which we know was something the community really enjoyed last year.”

 

Since 2017 Nelson Pride has been active and on the ground as an unincorporated organisation. Nelson Pride Incorporated was established as an incorporated society in 2021. They are a non-profit organisation operated by volunteers who are dedicated to developing social events that celebrate and provide connection for the LGBQIA+ Community in the Nelson/Tasman region.

 

The full program is available at Facebook.com/nelsonpridenz. For ticketing and venue information please see our Facebook page or email nelsonpridenz@gmail.com. 

THE PROGRAM IS DETAILED BELOW:

RAINBOW MARKET,  OPENING CEREMONY & POTLUCK BRUNCH AT GREENMEADOWS COMMUNITY CRNTRE, 491 MAIN ROAD, STOKE.

TAHUNANUI BEACH

FOUNDERS CAFE

SUTER GALLERY

MOTUROA / RABBIT ISLAND

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Whale Stranding — Farewell Spit

Whale Stranding Farewell Spit, Tasman Bay, New Zealand. 18 March 22

LATEST NEWS

The latest news on the whale stranding at Farewell Spit is that

around 36 pilot whales have stranded approximately 4km from the Farewell Spit carpark at Puponga.

DOC and Project Jonah are both on the scene and assessing the situation. 

There are only a handful of whales still alive and as yet no decision has been made about what to do with the survivors. 

Several whales which were in a very poor state were euthanised yesterday 18th March.

We have enquired with the Dept., of Conservation for the latest update.

DOC accessing the sad situation 19 March 22.

Update from DOC concerning the situation on Friday

DOC Takaka Operations Manager Dave Winterburn reported.

A pilot whale found stranded at the base of Farewell Spit has unfortunately had to be euthanised on Friday afternoon for the welfare of the animal.

The whale was in poor condition and was not going to survive. Decisions to euthanize stranded whales are not taken lightly and euthanasia is carried out when it is the humane course of action.

In addition, one of the five pilot whales which was refloated has restranded.

Earlier today, five surviving pilot whales were refloated with the 11am high tide by Department of Conservation rangers and Project Jonah medics.

We first received a report of the stranding at about 6pm on Thursday night. Rangers were sent to the site, but an incoming tide and night conditions meant they were unable to remain there overnight. They counted a total of 36 whales stranded, of which 7 were alive when rangers left the site.

When a team of rangers arrived at the site early this morning, they found 34 whales at the site, of which 5 were alive. It is thought there were less whales found there on Friday morning because 2 carcasses may have been lifted by the high tide on Thursday night and taken out to sea.

We are not seeking any assistance from the public as we have enough DOC rangers and Project Jonah medics on site to manage the situation.

DOC is working with Manawhenua Ki Mohua to ensure the deceased whales are treated appropriately.

An aerial survey of the 28km length of Farewell Spit this morning did not find any additional stranded whales.

While this event is unfortunate, whale strandings are a natural phenomenon.

The cause of this stranding is not known, but Golden Bay is a high stranding area with Farewell Spit hooking around the northern entrance into the bay and forming extensive, many kilometres wide, intertidal sand flats.

Update from Yesterday from DOC

We have had DOC rangers do an early morning sweep around at low tide.

 

They found two deceased whales approx 1.5km apart, it is not clear if these two whales are from the group that were reflated yesterday.  There are no live stranded whales.

 

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GREAT FISHING IN TASMAN BAY 2022

STEVAN POLDER SUPERB FISHERMAN AND CRUSE SHIP CAPTAIN
Photo Ray Therkleson

 NO REALLY REALLY BIG ONES YET!

Over the weekend I went down to Nelson port to see how the fish was going. It was a beautiful day with very little wind and many boat trailers were parked up so the lucky few with boats were out fishing.

Some were out just in the harbour and others were well out beyond the Bolder Bank.

I met Stevan Poldar who had just been out fishing on Saturday morning. He said "within two hours I caught my quota but would have loved to carry on fishing to try and catch the big one."

He said "there was no luck plucking the really big one but I have plenty of Snapper and Blue Code it beats buying it at the fish shop."

STEVAN POLDAR'S CATCH LAST WEEKEND  Photo R Therkleson

Stevan rang me this morning Friday and said "I am out fishing this morning and have so far had great success." 

He is out beyond the Nelson Harbour somewhere but he would not let me know exactly.

He sent me a photo this morning of his catch so far today:

STEVAN'S CATCH TODAY SO FAR Photo Stevan Poldar

I'm sure he is pleased.

Enough fish for a week Stevan! Just as well the weather is not like this today:

PHOTO BY F JONES CURTSEY OF JUDY MARSH -TOP OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND HISTORY

Rough seas along Rocks Road Nelson Harbour 1915 and the still existing Thomas Cawthron's chain fence holding up.

No fishing that day!

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Keeping Tasman up to date

SPARKY FOUND

 

Sparky from Murchison supplied by Lydia Stewart

Murchison to the rescue

Sparky, the sweet dog, was sitting in Lydia Stewart's black Nissan ute with a box of tools when it was taken from a St Martin's property in Murchison last Saturday the 12 March 2022.

The whole Murchison community and Tasman Police rallied around trying to find Sparky, the tools and the ute after a notice was put on the Murchison Bulletin Board.

An eagle-eyed police officer on duty noticed the ute parked up on the side of State Highway 6 in remote Owen River, and got on the dog-and-bone making inquiries.

The Murchison Police officer certainly wasn't barking up the wrong tree, as he sniffed out Sparky safe and well inside the ute. 

Lydia Stewart and Sparky

Sparky was found!

Sparky's very happy owner Lydia Stewart raced on her way to pick him up, and the ute but minus the tools.

Lydia Stewart said “One happy ending indeed.”

“Sparky is absolutely overjoyed to be home and would like to thank each and every one of her fans for helping her return safely!! She was very thirsty and hungry (like usual!) but the vet gave her the big OK.”

Lydia said “thank you to absolutely everyone who messaged and called with information and support.  I’m completely overwhelmed.”

“The power of community and connection is incredible.”

Thank you to Lydia and Sparky.

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Māpua by moonlight

Moonlight at Māpua last night17 March 2022

 

Juliette Fox a well respected Māpua resident took this photo last night for all to see on Facebook.

As you can see there is cloud around but Māpua is going to have the best weather in Tasman today with only a little cloud, 11 degree high temperature and a slight south west gentle wind.

Thank you Juliette.

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FORMULA 1 - How all 10 teams fared in Bahrain's Official Pre-Season Test

FORMULA 1 — 3 Day test before racing this weekend

Three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain stood between the teams and the opening race of the season. Conditions were vastly different to the cool spring temperatures of Barcelona, and as the heat took hold, reliability issues started to crop up. Add in some pretty major car evolutions since the 2022 machines were last on track, and there was plenty to discuss ahead of the opening race of the season. Here's how all 10 teams got on in Bahrain, in lap count order.

March 12: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB18 on track during Day Three of F1 Testing at Bahrain. R Therkleson

Mercedes

Total Laps – 384

Fastest Lap – 1m 32.759s (Russell)

It was a mixed bag for Mercedes in Bahrain. They topped the lap charts with a whopping 384 circuits around this desert track, but they didn’t trouble the top of the timing sheets. What they did do is cause the biggest stir of the whole of testing when they unveiled their very sleek sidepods on Day 1, going in a completely different design direction from everyone else. But it didn’t seem to help their porpoising issues, and they seem to have their work cut out ahead of the first race of the season.

Mercedes W13 F1 2022 car R Therkleson

Scuderia AlphaTauri 

Total Laps – 370

Fastest Lap – 1m 33.002s (Tsunoda)

Lots of laps for AlphaTauri and no real reliability concerns. So far so good for the team, and in Pierre Gasly they have a proven performer who is just getting better and better with age. Yuki Tsunoda has said he has grown in confidence, and with a season under his belt, is well placed to kick on. The only question marks are over the car, with nothing particularly eye-catching on show. But with some of their rivals struggling, they could be well placed to make a bid for the top of the midfield.

Alpha Tauri 2022 new F1 car R Therkleson

Ferrari 

Ferrari 2022 F1 75 Car R Therkleson

Total Laps – 349

Fastest Lap – 1m 32.415s (Leclerc)

Ferrari were the talk of the town on Day 1 and 2, consistently quick laps being laid down by both their drivers. Everyone was in rare agreement in the paddock that they were fast, and they didn’t appear to have any reliability problems. They might have been pipped by Red Bull right at the end of Day 3, but nonetheless the Scuderia looks well placed to mount a charge this season.

Alfa Romeo

Total Laps – 343

Fastest Lap – 1m 32.985s (Bottas)

After troubled running in Barcelona, with plenty of mechanical issues, Bahrain went much more smoothly for Alfa Romeo. Zhou Guanyu got plenty of laps under his belt and even a practice standing start, while Valtteri Bottas likewise spent a fair amount of time on track. The Finn did stop twice though, with the hydraulics playing up, but those looked relatively minor issues compared to the problems of Barcelona.

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Aston Martin

Total Laps – 339

Fastest Lap – 1m 33.821s (Vettel)

This was a good test for Aston Martin, another team to sail through relatively untroubled. The only fly in the ointment was a stop out on track for Sebastian Vettel on Day 2, but the German wasn’t confined to the pits for long once the team recovered his car, with the issue a relatively minor one. Their pace remains a slight unknown, but there is certainly no major cause for concern with the first race just days away.

Red Bull

Total Laps – 319

Fastest Lap – 1m 31.720s (Verstappen)

Red Bull quietly but assuredly cracked on with their programme on the opening two days, there or thereabouts. Roll on Day 3 and they ran a very different looking car after a raft of upgrades arrived, including a different sidepod design. And whatever they’ve done – it worked. Sergio Perez topped the morning session, and Max Verstappen was comfortably quickest under the lights. So much so that a spin for the Dutchman was soon forgotten.

Alpine

Total Laps – 299

Fastest Lap – 1m 32.698s (Alonso)

Esteban Ocon shone on Day 2, topping the timing sheets in the morning session despite the temperatures absolutely soaring out there. With plenty of long runs under his belt, it was a good showing by the Frenchman and one that Fernando Alonso was able to match on the final day. No obvious reliability problems, the Spaniard put down a quick lap late on under the lights on Day 3 to raise a few eyebrows out there.

Alpine New F1 car R Therkleson

Williams

Total Laps – 258

Fastest Lap – 1m 33.959s (Zhou)

Williams had a good opening day, but it went awry on Day 2. Nicholas Latifi was in the car when the brakes caught on fire, causing him to spin. Things evolved quite rapidly from there, so much so that the team couldn’t get the car fixed in time to run again and the Canadian was limited to just 12 laps. But roll on Day 3 and he more than made up for his lack of running with a mighty 124 laps. Alex Albon had a quiet but composed test, and seems to have bedded in well with his new team as the first race looms large.

William new F1 car

McLaren

Total Laps – 199

Fastest Lap – 1m 33.191s (Norris)

They were one of the picks in Barcelona, but on Day 1, things started to unravel for McLaren. First, Daniel Ricciardo was unable to drive after feeling unwell, later being diagnosed with Covid which meant he missed all three days. Then Lando Norris encountered braking issues, with overheating looking a problem for the team. It couldn’t be fully fixed and cost the youngster plenty of running across the three days, not to mention limiting his longer runs to just the final day. Can they fix the problem before the first race? That’s the big question, as when they are running, McLaren do look quick.

Haas

Total Laps – 253

Fastest Lap – 1m 32.241s (Schumacher)

Haas’s test got off to the worst possible start. Freight delays through no fault of their own meant they couldn’t take part on the first morning, but the FIA later agreed that they could run late on Day 2 and 3, and also early on Day 3, to make up for that lost time. Once on track, niggling reliability issues limited their laps in every session, but every problem was fixed relatively quickly and didn’t prove terminal. And the good news? Like McLaren, when they were on track, they looked quick. Comeback kid Kevin Magnussen also didn’t waste too much time getting back up to speed, although he did say his neck was feeling the strain…

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